''Mary Magdalene'' is a 1914

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

that costars

Arthur Maude Arthur John Maude (23 July 1880 – 9 January 1950) was an English actor, screenwriter, and film director. Biography Maude was born Arthur John Maud on 23 July 1880 in Pontefract, West Riding, Yorkshire, to William Robert Maud (1849–1919) and ...

and

Constance Crawley Constance Crawley (30 March 1870 – 17 March 1919) was an English actress best known for leading roles in Shakespeare tragedies. She gained notice on the American stage at the start of the 20th century, and later starred in and wrote several si ...

and is loosely based on the 1910 play of the same name by

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

playwright

Maurice Maeterlinck Maurice Polydore Marie Bernard Maeterlinck (29 August 1862 – 6 May 1949), also known as Count (or Comte) Maeterlinck from 1932, was a Belgian playwright, poet, and essayist who was Flemish but wrote in French. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in ...

Plot

The story takes place in

Capernaum Capernaum ( ; he, כְּפַר נַחוּם, Kfar Naḥum, Nahum's village; ar, كفر ناحوم, Kafr Nāḥūm) was a fishing village established during the time of the Hasmoneans, located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. It ...

and

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

during the two years leading up to the

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross or beam and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion and asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Persians, Carthagi ...

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, and follows the lives of

Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot (; grc-x-biblical, Ἰούδας Ἰσκαριώτης; syc, ܝܗܘܕܐ ܣܟܪܝܘܛܐ; died AD) was a disciple and one of the original Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. According to all four canonical gospels, Judas betraye ...

(

) and Mary Magdalene (

), who indulge in their own selfish pursuits and care little about the plights of others. But when Mary hears Jesus preach an outdoor sermon, she learns the power of Christ's love and abandons her reckless ways to become one of his most ardent followers.

Production

Charles Urban Charles Urban (April 15, 1867 – August 29, 1942) was an Anglo-American film producer and distributor, and one of the most significant figures in British cinema before the First World War. He was a pioneer of the documentary, educational, propa ...

, the Anglo-British promoter of the

Kinemacolor Kinemacolor was the first successful colour motion picture process, used commercially from 1908 to 1914. It was invented by George Albert Smith in 1906. He was influenced by the work of William Norman Lascelles Davidson and, more directly, E ...

process of making color

motion pictures A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

, acquired worldwide rights to Maurice Maeterlinck's play Mary Magdalene with plans to produce a

color film Color photography is photography that uses media capable of capturing and reproducing colors. By contrast, black-and-white or gray- monochrome photography records only a single channel of luminance (brightness) and uses media capable only of ...

. Maeterlinck's mistress

Georgette Leblanc Georgette Leblanc (8 February 1869, Rouen – 27 October 1941, Le Cannet) was a French operatic soprano, actress, author, and the sister of novelist Maurice Leblanc. She became particularly associated with the works of Jules Massenet and w ...

, who had appeared in the title role of the original production of play, was retained to star in the movie. Although Urban planned an Autumn 1913 release in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

, and actual filming did take place in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, a final product never reached the screen. Instead, Aubrey Kennedy of Kennedy Features in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, released his own version of Mary Magdalene in February 1914 that was filmed at

cameraman A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task. In filmmakin ...

James Crosby's J.A.C. Studio near downtown Los Angeles. Kennedy Features sought investors (state-right buyers) for the film by advertising that Mary Magdalene was "a stupendous production that will create a sensation wherever shown." One theater ad that appeared after the 4 February 1914 release of the film even billed it as "the most magnificent melodramatic feature America has ever seen." Although reviews of the film were generally positive, and it was still being shown in theaters as late as November 1915, little mention of Mary Magdalene appears in motion picture trade journals such as ''

The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...

'' and ''Motography'' in the months after the film was released.The following trade journals make virtually no mention of the film in the months following its February 1914 release
Motography (Jan-Jun 1914), v. 11Motography (Jul-Dec 1914), v. 12Motography (Jan-Jun 1915), v. 13
an
The Moving Picture World 1914
/ref>

Cast

as Mary Magdalene *

as Canis Proculas *

William Nigh William Nigh (October 12, 1881 – November 27, 1955) was an American film Film director, director, screenwriter, writer, and actor. His film work sometimes lists him as either "Will Nigh" or "William Nye". Biography Nigh was born Emil Kreu ...

as Syrius Superbus * Joe Harris as Judas Iscariot * Jefferson Osborne

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mary Magdalene (1914 film) American silent short films 1914 films Portrayals of Mary Magdalene in film Portrayals of Jesus in film Films based on the Gospels American films based on plays Films based on multiple works Films based on works by Maurice Maeterlinck Films set in Jerusalem Films shot in Los Angeles American black-and-white films Films directed by Arthur Maude 1910s American films